The Lucky One
by Cat 2
Summary: Pre Slash Tony/Steve, Tony/Tiberius Stone, Not Mine Warnings: This is a horrible fic, and I have no idea what Tony Stark did to make me do this to him. Contains references to: Non Con/Rape, Child abuse, Physical and Mental abuse, vomit and Voilence
1. Chapter 1: Getting out alive

He managed to make it to the bathroom in time.

Tony Stark rested his head against the cool porcelain, trying to steady his breathing. The room seemed to spin around him a haze of white. He'd always hated this place. it was too light, too clean, nothing like how he would have decorated. He'd have gone for pale blues or greens, or anything less likely to reflect light, which was now making his eyes sting like crazy, less likely to show up dirt.

"Tony?"

Tony tried to pull himself towards the shower, convinced that Tiberius was back. He would be even angrier if he found him here, still a mess. The shower might buy him a few seconds before the storm broke, to show he had been making the effort to be ready, to be clean...The curtain would hide him, it might be a few seconds, before he was found.

"Tony, let me in."

He cringed. His legs wouldn't support him, when he tried to struggle to his feet, gripping at the toilet for support . His chest felt like it was on fire. His mouth was full of blood and bitterness , his back and ass ached. He could feel a throbbing pain from his right eye socket, and knew it going to be another black eye. .

"JARVIS override 01957052251!"

The yell from outside was echoing around his head, making it hurt worse than ever, so it took a couple of moments before he identified the code.

Tony blinked. That was Captain America's override code, what was he doing here? He had given him the override code for JARVIS after Pepper had gone, just in case.

His head hurt and didn't seem to be making the right connections, as he tried to think...

The Avengers had been fighting…Ahh. He couldn't remember. Some guy in a suit. they'd done well. Crimson...something. Dynamite?...No. Dynamo was probably on his way to the Raft now, but...Aaah. His head was pounding and it was hurting too much to think of that aftermath had been mess too, but some things , like Tiberius Stone yelling and tearing at him, were all too clear.

Taking down Crimson Dynamo had taken longer than he thought, and he'd flown off without waiting for team debriefing. That must be why Cap was here.

He had been late home , in spite of that. Tiberius had been angry…

The memory of the last two hours turned his stomach again, and he curled in upon himself into a fetal position, missing the bowl as he vomited all over himself and the floor.A vague part of his brain suggested that he should be grateful that Ty had stripped him, as he wasn't ruining some clothes, but it was hard to think like that, when his whole body hurt, especially his wrist, where Ty had grabbed him.

"Tony?" the voice sounded nearer, sharper, more concerned. He couldn't let anyone see him like this, naked, covered in blood and vomit and sperm. No. he wouldn't let Captain America see him.

He tried to back away, towards the shower. The door was partly ajar, but once you looked around it he was fairly obvious . But a shampoo bottle had been left on the floor, and he knocked it over, creating a dull thud against the tiled floor.

"Tony?" Steve was standing in the door way, looking around the room, until he spotted Tony, huddled in a corner.

Tony knew how he looked.

Bruises around his neck, upper arms, hips. His right eye red and already swollen, dried serum in his pubic hair, like a….

Like the disgusting little whore he was. That was why Tiberius had gone, to give him a chance to clean up, because no one except Ty would want a whore after they've fucked him.

But it had hurt so much he'd barely made it to the bathroom before he threw up.

"My God Tony, What happened? Who did this?"

His lips were bleeding. He hadn't noticed it before now, but as he tried to answer Steve's question, he was suddenly aware of it, as he could feel the blood trickling down them .

"Ty." was all he managed to gasp out.

Steve was kneeling beside him, looking at him, but Tony couldn't meet his eyes.

"It's O.K. Tony; we're getting out of here. Can you stand?"

He didn't think his legs would support him, but the thought of those clean hands over his disgusting body was more humiliation than he thought he could heap on this man, so he nodded.

Steve slid an arm around him to help, and he tried not to wince at the touch. Steve shouldn't have to touch someone like him.

"Come on. It's O.K. We'll take it nice and easy."

The words invoked memories of the last two hours, sending shooting pains to his wrists. He moaned whimpering in pain, as the world went dark.

***

Voices came to him as though from a great distance.

"Shoulder's dislocated…"

"Ribs six, eight, and nine fractured on the right…"

"Bruising extensive on neck, upper arms, and inside of thighs. Jesus how could anyone...?"

"…internal tearing constituent with other injuries…"

He couldn't tell how much time had passed, or where the voices were coming from, or even where he was.

Slowly, Tony opened his eyes. The room was dark, with fluorescent lights streaming in from the corridor that hurt his eyes, making him want to keep them closed. There wasn't much of anything in the room, he could hear beeps of machines, and voices talking in the corridor. He could see enough of the room,despite the difficulty with his right eye, to tell that he wasn't at home, and probably wasn't in a hotel, unless it was a very strange one.

Antiseptic felt like it was burning his throat, and there was a dull throbbing from his right eye . His right arm felt...strange.

He must be in a hospital , and the thought made the heart monitor next to him beep faster.

He'd been to hospital a couple of times after Tiberius had finished with him. It never turned out well.

Normally, Tiberius would be simply angry, and punish him once they were home. A couple of times he had been angry at the person who had brought Tony in, same as he was at anyone who he thought might have figured it out what was happening in the house...

He swallowed at the memory of Pepper. Of what Tiberius had forced him to do.

He tried to pull himself up, almost swearing at the stabbing pains in his wrist. Looking down, he noticed the sling on his right arm. A complicated fracture, especially if the pain killer label on the IV bag was any was quite a high dosage which might be why he couldn't process things. The sling was probably why the left side of his neck felt like it was being cut with a dull knife. Maybe it wasn't as bad as he thought. Maybe he'd passed out at the house and Tiberius had brought him…he dismissed that idea from his head as quickly as it had formed.

Tiberius had the names of three doctors on the East Coast alone who'd reset broken bones at three am, no questions asked. If he had passed out, he'd have woken up in his own bed.

Slowly he looked around the room, and spotted a man in a chair near the bed. He was asleep, his shield on his lap.

Shit! This was worse than bad. Tiberius was convinced enough that there was something going on between him and Captain America, despite his reassurances that he hadn't done anything more than talk to the man.

Then again, no one trusted a...Someone like him.

He was gasping now, fighting to get back in control and stop the monitor before it attracted any attention. the noise, or something had woken Captain America up. He looked around, apparently realising that Tony was awake.

"Tony." His voice was calm and steady and he held up his hands reassuringly. "It's O.K. You're safe. It's over."

He had to fight the desire to laugh, because if he started he wasn't sure he could stop.

It would never be over.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2: Surivor

_Italics are flashbacks, I own nothing._

Chapter 2

Tiberius wasn't the first.

That was Obadiah Stane, one of his father's business associates the year before he left for MIT.

Tony was the first to admit that he knew it felt wrong, but Obie gave him the attention and affection he'd never got from anyone else, and he was nearly double Tony's size, and he knew his father wouldn't believe him, so he never said anything.

Things never went beyond mutual masturbation at that time, anyway, so he didn't think or say anything of it.

Rhodey was the first guy he liked, but after a couple of drunken incidents, where the man made it very clear that while he was flattered, he didn't like Tony in that way, they settled down to just being friends.

Then he met Tiberius Stone in an engineering lecture.

If he cast his mind back, he could still remember that day, though he couldn't actually remember what the lecture had been on. That might have been because he was doodling improvements for the latest Stark Industry venture, when he was aware of someone looking over his shoulder.

_Quickly he slammed the notebook shut and spun around to find himself looking up into a pair of pale eyes._

_"What?"_

_"Artificial Intelligence. Got to admit that's a use I never thought of for this stuff." The stranger jerked his head at the blackboard and extended a hand. "Tiberius Stone."_

_"Tony Stark."_

_"I know." Tiberius was smiling at him, like he was some new and exciting computer model. "I've heard a lot about you. they say you're here two years early."_

_  
"Four." Tony replied, and he wasn't showing off, just making sure this guy, with has all the facts. _

_"Tiberius huh?"_

_  
Tiberius shrugged. "He was a Roman emperor, conquered half the world. My dad's a bit of a history nut."_

_"I thought it was Julius Caesar." Tony said, looking up at Tiberius. He wasn't sure why, but it was suddenly very important for this guy to like him. "who conquered half the known world."_

_"Really?" Tiberius said, smiling, "so what would that make you? Marc Antony."_

_Tony flushed, suddenly feeling stupid. "Only my Dad calls me Antony. For everyone else, it's Tony."_

_"Only enemies call me Tiberius." The lecture has finished and everyone else is leaving but neither of them have noticed. "Friends, they call me Ty." And he leaned in and kissed him._

Things were going fine between them, until second year when Tony went home. On a whim, he invited Tiberius with him.

It was a mistake.

Obie wasn't dumb; he picked up on what was between them almost immediately.

_A slight cough made them both jump and spin around. Obadiah was there, staring at them. Tony tried desperately to look calm and collected, like his tongue hadn't just been down Ty's throat the whole journey down here._

_"Obie. This is my...friend, Tiberius Stone. Ty, Obadiah_ _Stane."_

_"Stark Industries right hand man." Ty said, reaching out to shake Obadiah's hand. "I've heard a lot about you, Mr. Stane."_

_"I wish I could say the same." Obadiah_ _said, with a fake smile. "But Tony, he never calls home. You'd think we were behind the Iron Curtain, the amount of phonecalls we get."_

_"My Dad says the same." Ty was smiling uncomfortably, and indeed the whole situation felt awkward. _

_"Guest room upstairs?" Tony jumped slightly. _

_"Yeah. Along the corridor, third door on the left." Ty grabbed his bag, and headed upstairs, muttering that he'd give Tony a while to "catch up with the family stuff."_

_Obadiah led the way into the study. It was empty, not that was surprising. Howard and Maria weren't due back till tomorrow, that was partly why he and Ty had come back now. He was starting to regret his decision._

_"So," he jumped and forced his attention back to Obadiah. "You and Ty Huh?"_

_Tony shifted, uncomfortably. He wanted to tell Obadiah that it was none of his dammed business, but he knew if he did that, Obadiah would tell his father. Howard Stark...wasn't all that tolerant._

_"He's a good looking lad, can't deny that." Obadiah was pouring whisky into glasses, his eyes never leaving Tony's face. "Smart too, understand he's there a year early."_

_The lip of the decanter slid in with a clink._

_"Looks to me like you really like him."_

_This time, Tony nodded, because he did like Ty. Like all the stuff they did together too, even the stuff he'd done previously with Obie. With Ty, it just...felt good, felt right._

_Obidiah had moved, he was now standing against the desk, leaning against and regarding Tony like he was a high class steak. _

_"I Think I could show you something that he'd really like."_

_  
"What?" Tony asked, trying to be a business man, to casual, not to look like it's what he'd been hoping for. He knew Ty was older and...more experienced, and Tony wanted Ty to like him so much._

_"Come here."_

****

_With a huge cry, Ty fell back, panting against the pillows._

_"Tony..that was...really... wow!"_

_Tony nodded, wiping his chin with the back of his hand, and grinning like a Cheshire cat. Obadiah had been right, Ty looked...he couldn't come up with any words, but he was clearly impressed._

_"I mean it Tony, that was really good." He looked up and saw Ty looking at him. He couldn't understand the expression on Ty's face, like he was angry or something. But he couldn't be. He'd done it right, Ty had said so._

_"Where did you learn it?"_

_He couldn't admit to that._

_"Nowhere , Ty."_

_  
"Don't lie to me." Ty had grabbed his arm, pulling him up against his will. "Who taught you to do that?"_

_"Ty, you're hurting-"  
"Who taught you-?" _

_"Nobody. Come on, Ty, Let go."_

_"Don't Lie To Me!"_

_He didn't even see the fist coming at him, just felt its impact and fell off the bed. He couldn't get up, just lay there, on the floor, stunned._

_"Ton? Tony, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to." Ty was suddenly on the floor beside him, his arms wrapped around him. "I'm sorry Tony. It's just, I love you. I don't care who taught you that, I just can't stand you lying to me, you understand that, don't you Tony?"_

_He had to get out of here, clear his head._

_"Tony?"_

_That was the first night since he'd come back from college, that he slept in his own bed._

Ty had apologised again after breakfast, and sworn blind it would never happen again. Tony had tried to believe him, tried to make it work. But they'd drifted apart, especially when Ty was asked to leave the college after a fight with another student.

Soon after, he met Bruce Wayne, a guy who made him feel the way Rhodey and Ty did, who was actually interested in him, and who liked him.

He wanted Bruce to be his first. But that didn't happen.

Ty came back to college, surprisingly, as the dean had threaten to prosecute if he saw him on campus again, and unannounced.

It was Tony's fault. If he hadn't invited Ty back to his room after seeing him in the quad, hadn't been drinking, hadn't been smoking pot, hadn't offered both to Ty, then he wouldn't have…taken him.

He could remember every detail of that day, the sounds from the courtyard, the breeze coming in through the open window as Ty ripped off his jeans, Ty sneering down at him, looking like he had that night in his parents house, but worse, angrier somehow, trying to tell him "no!", and getting words out too, but Ty's hand was around his cock and he was struggling to get away...No. he was squirming into the touch, because he liked it, because he was a disgusting little whore. The lube and condoms carefully brought for his and Bruce's first time, had been above the bed. Ty had grabbed them and…he'd taken him. Like a whore. After all. He came without been touched, so he must have enjoyed it.

He could still remember Ty's words as he cleaned himself up. "Nobody keeps a whore around after they've fucked him, Tony. Nobody, except me."

Rhodey had come around a couple of hours later, and found him passed out on the sheets. ("Jesus, Tony what happened?"). He'd begged him to go to the campus police, to tell them what happened. But he couldn't.

A woman in his father's office had once accused his father of rape. Tony had never forgotten watching the defence attorney tear her to pieces. Like tissue paper.

So he'd persuaded Rhodey to keep it a secret, and he'd helped him clean up and stayed with him that evening.

Later that week, when he and Bruce finally had their first time, he was certain Bruce knew that he wasn't his first. He broke up with him later that week.

After that, for a long while, there were no men, only women. Women couldn't hurt you like that, women couldn't do that, women…women were safe.

But he was still a whore, so there's thousands of them, with himself seeking their approval, their affection, their love…their respect.

Then Afghanistan happened. And Obie betrayed him.

The night of Obadiah's funeral, he'd run into Ty again.

He'd gone upstairs, to Obie's room, just to get away from everyone, to think. He'd been sitting in a chair, just a moment to get his shit together, when Ty had come upstairs.

"Peppers getting everyone to leave." He said, softly. "Tony…" He'd reached out to touch him, but he'd jerked away. Older, stronger now.

"Stay the fuck away from me, Stone!"

Stone shrugged, and he was calm, too calm, just like everyone else, like nothing was fucking wrong, and Tony was raging, punching flesh and wall, Stone unmoving despite the blows. After a few moments, Tony stumbled back, let his arms hang limp at his sides, breathing heavily. Tiberius waited, until he was still.

"I just wanted to say I was sorry, when i heard about it, what happened. I still can't believe it." he shook his head ." Ty said, gently, ""I know that Obidiah was like a father, Tony, that you two were... close." He reached out, gently easing the jacket off Tony's back. "I just wanted you to know you don't have to go thought this alone." He was stroking his shoulders, the jacket lying abandoned on a chair. It had been a long time, too long, since anyone touched him like that. "It'll be just like old times. Remember?" Then his mouth was on Tony's and his tongue was forcing its way in.

It had been…so long, and it felt so good, and he didn't realize where they were going, until the back of his leg hit the bed.

He supposed it was inevitable, that Ty felt he had to remove all trace of Obadiah's influence.

Pepper had found them there the next morning. She hadn't said anything, just rearranged some meetings. And suddenly they were together.

He'd expected Ty to object to Iron man, and indeed he'd always wandered why he hadn't.

Looking back, however, it was obvious.

If people at work saw him with a black eye, or a broken shoulder, or any injury really, they assumed it came from Iron Man. If the Avengers noticed he was injured, then they thought it came from a solo mission.

Rhodey had been suspicious, but then he had help Tony after the first time, so it went with the territory. He was smart enough to guess the rules of the game, and had never interfered, just helped out when he could. More than once, Tony credited him with saving his sanity.

Others had too.

When Tony had run into Bruce at a fundraiser, sporting a black eye and two cracked ribs, Bruce had raised an eyebrow at his explanations. He hadn't said anything, but had spent the rest of the party watching Tiberius with an expression of dislike on his face. And once, when their companies were working on a joint venture together in Gotham and Tony fell asleep in his office, he had covered him with a blanket and told his to deal with any shit that came from that. He'd slept better than he had done since this mess started.

For all that people suspected however, only one person- well two- he supposed now, had truly found out.

A couple of rough missions had left him feeling nauseous, and when he and Tiberius had been…together that night, he'd thrown up over Ty.

Been sick after their sessions was nothing new, but he had always managed to make it to the bathroom before he did, preserving a tiny amount of his self respect.

Ty had been furious, not that Tony could blame him, and had punished him for it. It had only been when Ty was almost hoarse from yelling, and Tony was just wishing that he'd die and this be over, that he heard a small gasp and realize that Pepper had witnessed it. She hadn't seen everything, but it had been enough.

He'd held out for nearly a week, trying to be strong. Pepper had tried to talk to him about what she'd witnessed, but he pushed her away, not wanting to hurt her more than he already had.

But because he's a coward and a liar (and he genuinely thought Ty might kill him), he gave in.

The memory of that conversation still made his stomach turn.

_"Hey. Pep, its Tony."_

_"Tony?" she had sounded scared, and he nearly hung up on her. But Ty's hand was on his back and he forced himself to continue. "Are you alright?"_

_"Sure. Listen I want to talk to you about what you saw last week."_

_"Thank God Tony." She sounded genuinely relieved. "Listen the first thing to remember is it's not your fault. There are places, people who can help you both."_

_He nearly laughed at that, because : a. It was his fault, and b. there were no places for rich businessmen and their abusive lovers. Especially their male abusive lovers . He'd checked._

_He swallowed, forcing the playboy that he had spent so long pretending to be, and the whore that he was, into his voice._

_"That's sounds great Pepper, but I was really more interested in whether you'd like to join us?"_

_"Tony." Pepper's voice was firm. "Have you been drinking?"_

_"Oh Come on Pepper, like I haven't noticed you looking. It's O.K. to have a thing for hot raunchy mansex and it's really O.K. If you want to join us."_

_"Tony!" her voice was so calm and strict that he wanted to beg Ty to let him keep her. But he didn't because he knew it was pointless. "What I saw was not mansex, raunchy or otherwise. It was Tiberius beating you almost to death, and I'm sorry if I have to say that to anyone else, but I will do if that's what it'll take to get you to admit you need…"_

_"You're fired." He said rapidly and hung up because he didn't think he can do this anymore. He was shaking, but Ty was kissing his neck and his arms were moving over his shoulders, and down on to his chest._

_"Very good, Tony." He whispered, voice soft. "You've earned a reward."_

_His hands worked Tony's fly open, and he was smiling at him, as he sank to his knees. Tony let a small gasp, as Ty had never ever done that before, it had always been Tony on his knees, and for a moment, it all seemed worth it. But then he thought of waking up tomorrow, with no Pepper, and having to go through interviews to find someone who could do half the stuff she did without even thinking, and who would keep their mouth shut about this..._

_Ty mouth was magic, but what he wanted more than anything at that moment was for Ty to leave him alone. For everyone to do that. But he said nothing, and took his reward without a sound._

He didn't think he could bear it if that was Steve.

***

Steve pushed open the backdoor and stepped into the Avenger's kitchen.

Jan stepped forward to meet him.

"I still can't believe it." She choked out. "How is he?"

Steve shrugged.

He couldn't bring himself to describe how Tony was sitting on his bed in the hospital, curled into a fetal position and shaking slightly.

How any physical contact caused him to freak out, which was ...interesting for the medics as they tried to help.

This, the medics had reassured him, was not uncommon with abuse survivors. That didn't mean they weren't worried, Tony was on suicide watch, but they were hopeful that he would recover.

The staff physiatrist had suggested that getting Tony some of his own clothes might help him feel a bit better.

"Were you able to…?" he trailed off.

Jan shrugged. "I never really thought about how little time Iron man actually spent here out of costume. This," she handed a small plastic bag over. "Is all I could find."

Steve looked inside. There was a pair of sweat pants and what he would call a string vest. Both were greased stained, and completely inadequate.

Tony's dislike of skin contact meant that he had practically cocooned himself in sheets at the hospital. While he had no doubt that Tony would wear these, Steve was also sure it would leave him too exposed.

"Wasn't there anything else?" he asked slightly desperately as Jan shook her head. The New Jersey house was still a crime scene under Fury's Men, and he didn't want to risk a run in with Tiberius at any of Tony's other properties. He didn't trust his self control around that man.

"I checked his room, I checked his locker, I even persuaded Jarvis to let me check inside the workshop. Nothing."

He nodded, glancing at Hank. "Any luck tracking down…anyone?"

He asked. The hospital had warned that, if an emergency came in, they would have to release Tony to free up beds, and even if Nick's people were finished, there was no way Tony could go back there, not yet at least.

Hank sighed. "There's a cousin, of some description, but from what I heard he wouldn't be much use. The guy who looked after him when he was a kid, Jarvis," He shrugged at Steve's expression, "Guess a lot we don't know about Tony," he continued. "He's in England. And nearly ninety, no way he should be burden with this. The , Pepper, she's working for some bigwig in Washington and won't be able to get leave on such short notice."

"What about Colonel Rhodes?"

"On assignment, in comminicado for at least the next couple of weeks." Hank sighed. "Nick's been trying to get through, but he's not hopeful." He shook his head. "Logan says he's sorry, but after everything that's happened recently and the time of year, he can't have Stark at the manor, he said you'd understand that."

Steve nodded. Having heard Logan's account of the revenge his brother was inflicting on the mutant every year in revenge of his betrayal, he understood. The last thing Tony needed was getting caught in the middle of Sabretooth's feud with Wolverine (though he admitted he wouldn't be heartbroken if Tiberius encountered him) "and Peter's aunt shouldn't have to worry about insane men bursting into their home."

Steve nodded, and suddenly remembered.

When he had come out of the ice, and was still adjusting to this new world, Tony had spent a whole day teaching him how to use a computer. They had done it out side, until a sudden shower had forced them inside. Tony had been in civilian clothes, including a huge MIT Sweatshirt.

The shirt had got drenched, along with most of Steve's clothes, and had been washed and given back to him by mistake. He'd been meaning to return it to Tony, but it had been the last time they actually sat together. After that Tony had just bolted as soon as missions were finished. He understood why now.

Quickly ignoring whatever Hank had been saying, he dashed up stairs. The sweater was still there, lying across a chair. He smiled.

It might not be much, but it definitely would help Tony feel better

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"Cap."

How Nick Fury managed to just melt into the shadows until he wanted you to see him was one of the mysteries of the universe, along with how come Bruce Banner's pants didn't spilt when he hulked out, and how on earth none of them had realised that Tiberius was beating Tony up?

"He's sedated. Woke up while you weren't here and freaked out a fair bit."

Had none of them picked up?

"Tell me you didn't know Nick." He said, softly. Nick's eyes didn't meet Steve's.

"Tell me you didn't."

"Fuck it, Rogers."

"Tell me you didn't"

Nick was doing a fairly good impression of the X Men's old leader, Cyclops, avoiding Steve's eyes as though he was wearing a visor

"Nick!"

"I had no proof. Even now I don't." At Steve's expression he sighed. "What did Tony say to you? Ty. The man was in shock, barely conscious. Any Court, heck any attorney I take that to is going to say that he was asking you where Ty was, whether he was hurt or not, because it's a heck of a lot more likely to most people, than one of the most powerful men in the world gets beaten up by his boyfriend!"

"The Injuries-"

"All they prove is that someone raped and attacked Stark," The cigar in Nick's mouth was moving up and down like it was on a spring. "Heck, I even know a couple of scum bags who'd argue that Stark liked it rough." He spat on to the floor, making Steve very glad none of the hospital staff were around. He sighed. "Bottom line. We all know what happened, but we can't prove it."

"You're saying Tiberius is going to get away this?!" Sometimes Nick wandered if Steve Rogers was honestly as innocent as he seemed. Heck, he was as old as Nick; he could remember how hard it was to get a conviction for domestic violence in 1940s. Things had moved on, but for a man whose partner of either sex was hurting them, things were borderline impossible.

"Legally. Yeah." At Steve's expression, he sighed. "Look, I'm doing what I can! How come you think the bastard hasn't shown up here yet?"

This fact hadn't occurred to Steve.

"My guys have been heading him off at every opportunity, Audits, inspections, fire alarms, fainting women, you name it we've done it."

Nick's eye bored into him. "There's a couple of bits in the Avengers' charter, you can use. Technically it's a UN Base, and Tiberius doesn't have clearance, which supersedes names on medical records, and…"

he sighed. "Don't look at me like that Steve, there's nothing I can do."

"Nothing?" Steve sounded skeptical.

"Even the director of SHIELD has his limits."

"What were you planning to do once Tony was released?"

"I've got something's set up, what kind of man do you think I am?"

"The kind who leaves a man in an abusive relationship and says nothing."

Nick didn't pale, but his eye seemed more vivid in his face. "Guess that makes two of us, Rogers, or didn't you wonder how you're so sure what happened when Stark's said nothing!"

****

Everyone had chipped into to try and make Tony's homecoming a little easier.

Janet had almost completely redesigned Tony's room, and Carol had got rid of anything that Tiberius might have brought into the mansion.

Bruce had recommended the name of a good psychiatrist, and Hank had made sure that there was enough coffee brewing to keep a Rhino awake until Christmas. Peter had webbed a Banner saying, "WELCOME HOME TONY." Unfortunately he and Clint had been scrapping about…something-Steve couldn't honestly bring himself to care what-and Clint had fired a silly string arrow at Peter, missed and hit the banner. It now looked more appropriate to a Halloween celebration, but no one had had the heart to tell him that.

Clint was refusing to tell anyone what his contribution was, but Fury had called to warn that someone had broken his seals on the house, and Clint was nursing a burnt arm. Whatever it was had been hidden in a corner of the room, under a dust sheet and occasional made beeping noises.

Steve had spent most of the day in conference with Nick, who had briefed Stark Industries security that their boss was taking a vacation, and that Tiberius Stone was not to be admitted under any circumstances. He had issued the same instructions to JARVIS, who had informed him that Mr. Stone would be denied access to all properties.

Steve was fairly certain he saw a couple of Nick's people hanging around on the sidewalk outside the Mansion, and he knew he'd seen Logan up a tree in the grounds.

He waited, and watched as the car pulled up and Tony got out. He had spoken to the hospital psychiatrist enough to get himself discharged, but he was still quiet.

Almost as soon as he saw Jan's face, Steve wished he had warned them about what had happened.

Tony looked, quite simply, like a walking dead man.

He had lost weight, though how much was hard to gage as it had been a long time since any of them saw him outside of the armor, but it was obvious from the way the sweat pants were hanging off him that it had been a lot. His right eye was black and there was a white cast on his wrist.

But it wasn't that which was making the other avengers stare. It was the eyes. Eyes that quite simply looked like they were dead inside.

What was worse was that Tony didn't even seem aware of it.

Jan, with her status as Tony's oldest friend, tried hard, pointing out the banner peter had made, leading him though to the kitchen and pouring him coffee, even offering to let him go down to the lab once he'd eaten something, but none of it made any effect.

Clint, in a last ditch attempt to get some response out of Tony, flung the dust cover off the machine, revealing:

"Dummy? That's your big secret?" Peter enquired, but Before he and Clint can start having one of their arguments more suited to six year olds, the robot rolled over and gently nudged Tony in the thigh, like a confused dog asking its master what's wrong.

Tony blinked, almost, but not quite waking up, and looked down at the robot, who was regarding him with what Steve would have called an mixture of hurt and confusion on its "face." It whirred softly. Unthinkingly, Tony's fingers slipped down to pet the robot.

Those thin fingers running over the casing sounded like an explosion in the room, interrupted a moment later by the trilling of Steve's phone. Withdrawing it from his pocket, he was surprised to see a text from Logan.

"**Let it b. He'll b alright."** Steve didn't ask how Logan was so sure of this, given the man hadn't left his tree as far as Steve could tell since Tony's arrival, but the mutant was normally the expert in such matters.

"Come on," he said, gently placing a hand on Tony's shoulder. "We can do this later."

Tony flinched at the touch, but he didn't pull away.

With Dummy bringing up the rear, Steve guided Tony upstairs, carefully opening the bedroom door.

"Jan redesigned it, but she says you can alter anything you don't like." He watched as Tony stared around the room, hardly seeming to take anything in.

"See you in the morning." He muttered, more for something to say. The door was almost closed, when he heard a voice say softly, "Thanks."

****

"_You should have learned your lesson earlier, Tony." Ty's voice was soft, like silk, the way it always was when he was angry with Tony, when he was punishing him._

_"How many times do I have to reprimand you before you learn your lesson?" his thumb was brushing gently against a cut on his face, moving down towards his mouth, while the other hand stroked softly at his jeans._

"_It's a pity someone else got involved." _

_Steve! Desperately Tony turned his head, trying to locate him. In a corner, he can see a crumpled pile of red, white and blue._

"_No." he cried, hating the pleading note in his voice, but seeing no other option. "Don't, Ty."_

_Hands tear at the jeans, and at his shirt, stripping him, leaving him exposed._

_Ty knelt above him looking down at his handiwork._

"_I wish you could see yourself now Tony," He muttered softly, producing lube from somewhere, the scent of vanilla hanging heavily in the air._

"_so exposed, so pretty." His fingers stroked around Tony's mouth again, a cruel smile on his lips. "Everyone sees it. Everyone knows. You're begging for it aren't you?" his fingers have moved down to Tony's cock, stroking it._

_"You're a whore, Tony, can't you see it?" He thrust in, in one smooth movement. That didn't mean Tony didn't feel like he was being torn in two. He sets the rhythm, fast, deep, merciless. "Everyone else sees it but you ... They've all had you, and no one wants a whore after they've *fucked him*." He practically spat out the last words. "No one. Except me." _

_Tony's shaking his head, sobbing, too far gone to be ashamed about begging Ty to stop. He thinks he's all sobbed, out, but then Tiberius withdrew._

_Tony's hand reaches between his legs, fingers reappearing coated with Tiberius' come. He sniffled, staring at them, trying to get back some molecule of self control, despite the come coating the sheets._

"_What are you Tony?" Ty's voice asked, silkily._

_He swallowed eyes downcast. "I'm a whore."_

_Ty's eyes narrowed. "Somehow I don't think you believe it." He's gripping Tony's shoulders, harsher than before and… _

"NO!" Tony sat bolt up right, sweat running off his back, his lungs feeling like someone had lit a fire in them.

He gasped, drawing the cool air down into them, trying to get himself back in control.

"Just a dream," he muttered, but it was based on facts.

He glanced around the dark room, his eyes resting on the red glow of the digital alarm clock.

03:30.

He sighed. No way was he getting back to sleep now. Slowly he slid off the bed and pulled the sweatshirt back on. Jan had said something about getting him something else to wear, but it was three am, so who was honestly going to be around? He got his answer to that when he padded into the living room. Through the open plan design, he could see into the kitchen, where Steve Rogers sat, laptop balanced on the kitchen table.

"Tony." He said, looking up , concern in those soft blue eyes. "Everything O.K?"

He couldn't bring himself to say anything, so he just dropped into a chair next to him.

"Bad dreams." He muttered after a pause. Steve gave him a rueful smile.

"Same." He moved over and poured another mug of hot chocolate. Feeling Tony's eyes on the back of his neck, he elaborated. "Bucky, my old partner, falling…and others. People I couldn't save." He doesn't think it would be a good idea to add that Tony came into that category last night, his mind going over all the ways he failed him.

"I've been reassured by some old friends, that if they don't stop, they do get easier."

"Old friends?" Tony looked surprised and Steve grinned.

"More than you might think made it home." He said, softly. "You can meet them if you want."

"I'd like that." Tony said, enjoying watching a smile creep across Cap's face, and the one he could feel on his own.

Suddenly, without warning, he yawned.

"You should get some sleep." Steve said.

"Not tired." He muttered. "Can't sleep anyway." At Steve's raised eyebrow, he sighed. "Ty coming to get me. Hurting…others."

_You _hung unspoken in the air.

Steve's eyes softened. "He can't get in." he said, standing up and guiding Tony over to the kitchen window. In the dim light from the streets, four figures standing stock still against the undergrowth could be observed.

"Fury's finest. And Logan is out there up a tree somewhere, and it'll be a cold day in hell before anyone gets past him.

Especially spineless cowards, who hit people they're supposed to care about, his brain supplied.

"Even if he could get passed them, you programmed JARVIS to protect you, right? So he won't let him in."

Tony muttered something about programming, and Steve had to resist the desire to wake everyone else up by asking JARVIS if Tiberius was allowed in. He took a look at Tony, trying to remember what he'd been reading online about domestic abuse, rape and post-traumatic stress (which he had known as combat fatigue or going bomb happy). Survivors tended to avoid places or objects that reminded them of the event.

"You could sleep on the couch," he offered, cautiously as he didn't want Tony to bolt. "I'm not going to get back to sleep, so I can sit up and make sure no one disturbs you."

It's a mark of how tired he was that Tony agreed to the plan and let Steve help (read: all but carried him) to the couch.

Steve found a crocheted blanket from a chest, and it was comfortable. He watched, half amused, half saddened, as Tony fought to keep his eyes open. But slowly, they closed. His breathing evened out, and while he still twitched and whimpered occasionally (reminding Steve strongly of a stray mutt that Bucky had adopted while they were in France. Or Logan), for the most part he was still.

For the first time since that morning, Steve allowed himself to relax and to believe Tony would be alright.

TBC


	4. Chapter 4 Talking about it

My apologisies to anyone whose been waiting for an update on this. First my beta quit, then Real life got crazy, then I got writer's block. I am trying to give this story a happy ending, but at the moment it's fighting me.

Chapter 4

Tony knew that everyone was just trying to helpful, trying to keep an eye on him, but honestly if he didn't get some time to himself soon, he was going to go mad.

Steve hovering like a worried mother hen he could cope with, heck even enjoy, cause Steve just kept an eye on him, didn't try to make him talk about what happened, or apologize or even say anything. He just always happened to be in the same place as Tony with some quite legitimate excuse.

And while he hated to admit it, having Captain America around made him feel safe.

Logan's hovering was more on the creepy side. Carol had eventually being dispatched to ask Logan if he planned to come in from the garden any time soon, but the mutant had simply said, he'd leave when Fury's goons did. And that wasn't showing much chance of happening.

If he was honest, the person who was truly irritating him was Jan.

He'd known Jan since they were kids, but they'd never been close. That didn't explain why she was currently treating him like he was an invalid, fussing over him, making him cups of tea, for god's sake!  
He hated tea. Always had done, but Jan appeared to believe it was what he needed to deal with what had happened.

Clint and Peter were avoiding him, not intentionally; they simply were never where Tony was at the same time.

On a level that was less insulting and easier to deal with than the tea.

Yes, Tiberius had beaten him up and…done other stuff to him, but he was no body's battered wife, and he didn't need treating like he was.

He was supposed to be seeing someone in an hour, to talk about the stuff. Dr. Leonard Samson. Bruce had said he was good, very easy to talk to, while very obvious in giving Tony personal space. Tony preferred the Hulk's offer to smash Ty.

But he wasn't going.

He hadn't talked to anyone about what had happened in Afghanistan, and aside from a few nightmares, he was fine.

He didn't need to "Explore" this with anyone. It had happened. End of story.

The last thing he needed was to talk about it with someone who had no idea what it was like.

He kept his eyes on the boot of the Iron Man armor, as he heard footsteps coming down from the house above.

"Tony." Steve's voice was soft. "Shouldn't you be thinking about going?"

"yeah," he said, keeping his eyes on the boots. "Here's the thing. I'm not going."

His eyes are fixed on the boot, the thrusters are giving him trouble, but he can feel Steve's eyes boring in to him.

"Not going? why?"

He shrugged. "I'm fine. I don't need to talk to anyone." Especially not someone recommend by Bruce Banner!

"It'll help."

"How the fuck do you know?"

"Because I've been there!"

There was silent for a moment, before Tony dared lift his head and look at Steve.

"You've talked to a therapist?" he said, every word dripping with disbelief, because this is Captain America, and talking to shrinks seems so…un Captain Americay.

"Yes." Steve was trying to sound simple, calm, but he had picked up a screwdriver from Tony's work bench and was fiddling with it. "It was hard adjusting to this world. " he said, shaking his hand toward Dummy and the holodesk in Tony's lab. "And, there were things from my past that I hadn't dealt with. I thought I was coping O.K., but Fury suggested I might find it helpful to talk about it with someone."

"It didn't stop the nightmares!" the tone is harsher and more accusatory than he intended. He just…couldn't talk to anyone about what happened. Half the time he was sure if his wrist hadn't been broken he wouldn't have believe it had happened himself.

That had always been Ty's greatest strength, making Tony doubt his own sanity.

"No." Steve agreed, carefully replacing the screw driver. "but it did make the days easier."

* * *

Doctor Leonard Samson was nothing like Tony had expected.

When Bruce had recommended the guy, he had pictured someone mature (old), with mad professor eyebrows, almost certainly German, and wearing a tweed jacket with leather patches on the elbows. He was have a notebook and a pencil that he kept tapping against his teeth, while he surveyed Tony over the edge of his glasses.

The only thing he was right about was the pencil tapping.

Samson was tall, muscular and probably about Tony's age. His hair was long and (surprisingly) bright green. He was dressed in Jeans and a red T-shirt. No glasses, no accent, not even a brown leather couch to lie on.

There was a couch, sure, but Samson shrugged when Tony asked if he should lie on it.

"Just do whatever you're comfortable with." He said, tapping his pencil slightly against his teeth.

Feeling like his every move was being analyzed, Tony deliberately selected a computer chair.

Samson shrugged, before turning to face him.

"O.K. just a couple of things before we get going…" \Samson's eyes bored into Tony. "What ever you tell me is confidential. That means I can't and I won't tell anyone, not SHIELD, Not the Avengers, Not even your father confessor. No One. That said, if I think you're in danger of hurting yourself or someone else, I have to report it to someone, probably your team leader."

Tony couldn't resist that one. "Probably?"

Samson smiled. "You're only my second Avenger patient, and in the case of the other, there were clearly other factors involved, and the procedure was already laid down."

He smiled. "What I'm trying to say, is you're safe here."  
Tony almost managed not to snort, but Samson didn't call him on it.

"So, Tony, why do you think you're here?"

Tony considered lying, but ultimately decided against it.

"Because Tiberius Stone, the man I was sleeping with, hit me and left me for dead, and everyone thinks I should be talking to someone about what's happened, when I'm not even sure myself what happened, and the last thing I feel like doing is talking about it."

Samson nodded, seemingly very calm. "O.k. Look, this is going to be pointless, unless you want to talk to me, so I'll make you a deal."  
at Tony's raised eyebrow, he continued.

"Answer one question, just one, and, if after that you still don't want to talk to me, then I'll say it's fine, and I'll tell that to the rest of your team."

The business man in Tony was warning him that if a deal looked too good to be true, then it probably was. But what had he to lose?

"Sure."

Samson nodded. "why did you build the Iron man Armor? Not the first one in the cave, but the one when you got home? You could have exposed the under table deals, called for a federal investigation or even paid guys to take on the insurgents?"

Tony swallowed. There were all valid suggestions, but it had been his responsibility. He had to stop them before anyone else got hurt.

"So you built the armor to protect yourself, while you tried to fix the situation?"

He didn't realize that he'd said any of that out loud, until Samson spoke, but he nodded. It was as good a explanation as any.

"And if something goes wrong with the armor, you fix it right?"

Tony nodded, not really sure where this was going.

"So," Samson asked. "My question is simply, what good's fixing the armor, when You won't try to fix the man inside?"

TBC


	5. Chapter 5 Decieve me

Author's Note: My apologizes to everyone whose being waiting for an update. I've been meaning to do this for ages, but everytime I meant to, something else came up. Still better late than never, and if I forget again, just keep nagging me.

To survive as Captain America, Steve Rogers had gotten good at lying, a fact that no one would ever believe.

If he could convince Sergeant Duffy, that Steve Rogers was the worst soldier in the army, if he could convince everyone, including Torch for a while, that Bucky was simply his sidekick-nothing else, then he could convince everyone that he wasn't worried, that Tony was going to be fine.

The trouble was, the one person Steve Rogers had never learnt how to fool, was himself.

And he was probably the one who was most worried.

* * *

"_Such a good boy, Tony." Tiberius was cooing, and Tony wasn't certain whether that was better or worse than the violence._

_He wasn't honestly sure he cared, either, as Tiberius stripped him. His cock was painful, like a hot iron bar in his middle, but he still whimpers, past shame at the sound, as Tiberius pulls out the dido._

_Tiberius runs a hand over Tony's body and the sensation is enough to make him start squirming. Tiberius laughs._

"_You're such a slut, Tony, you're really begging for it aren't you?"_

_A handful of lube and Tiberius was inside of him, making the pain worse. The ring feels like it's sunk to the size of a pin, he's been limping all morning, more than one person commented about him having a stick up his ass. It almost makes him want to laugh, if he wasn't quite so desperate._

_Tiberius ploughs into Tony. Beneath_ _him Tony twists his body as much as he was able with Ty's body pinning him to the bed. It wasn't much, even with the passage of Time; Ty's still bigger, stronger. He hated just lying there, taking it, not being able to do anything to help himself, or to help Ty. He hated that Ty controlled everything. Hated that he let him._

_Ty sets the pace, and as ever, even with the preparation, he still feels like he's going to be cut into. That is if the pain doesn't send him mad._

_Then he feels Tiberius's hand slide over his cock, and the ring was off. He was so surprised that it took two strokes of Ty's hand before he came. Tiberius wasn't far behind._

_He lays perfectly still, breathing deeply as Tiberius pulls out and heads over to the bathroom, returning with a wash cloth._

_Somehow he manages not to moan as Tiberius drapes it over, cleaning them both. He's no idea how Tiberius does it, but he wants, his body wants, to be hard again, but he can't summon the energy to so._

"_Shh. Shh, Tony." Ty's voice is like silk, something that rarely means anything good. "You've done well. You've been very good, you know that right?"_

_He manages to nod, even as Ty flips him to lie on his stomach._

"_You know why I have to do this don't you?" Ty's voice is still silk, as he slides the dido back in. "I love you Tony, but you can't help yourself." The Ring is back over the cock. "Standing there, looking at them under those beautiful eyelids, you're practically begging for it." He withdraw a Y shaped leather strap, and carefully placed it on, threading it between Tony's legs and ass crack, securing it with a padlock. "This is just to make sure you won't be tempted. I love you so much I can't stand the thought of anyone else. You know that don't you Tony? You understand why I have to do this?"_

_And Tony nods, and pretends, even though he knows it's a lie._

"What was the real reason?" Samson asked his face impassive. They had been here for over two hours, well after the time he would have suggested a break or another session. But after a little more than ten minutes into the session, he had realized that if he stopped, before Tony wanted, then the barriers would go up again. He had got lucky this time.

Tony was emotionally bruised, what Samson had got was emotional vomit, effectively, things Tony felt he couldn't share with the Avengers, things he needed to tell someone about.

Samson rapidly understood Fury's instructions that if anyone sighted Tiberius Stone, then SHIELD agents with Super strength were to be on hand, to restrain himself and Captain America.

Samson was considering adding his name to the list.

"Control. Like everything else." Tony was looking out of the window at the ground below. "Not just sexual control either. He had control of when I could go to the bathroom, when I could relieve myself." He shook his head. "I once wet myself waiting for him, which of course he found hilarious. Said If I was that desperate, I should have said, he would have come sooner."

There was a bitter note in his voice.

"You didn't like that."

"I didn't feel like I had a choice." Tony shook his head. "I know it sounds crazy but it's no more crazy than…"  
He fell silent.

"No more crazy than what, Tony?"

"No more crazy than, in spite of everything he did, the beatings, the…him taking me, I still care deeply for him." The eyes that met Samson's were those of a man awaiting judgment. "And isn't that just sick?"

TBC


	6. Chapter 6 Plans and talking

Pepper Potts would have never described her relationship with Nick Fury as cordeial.

She looked upon him as an enabler in the madness that was Iron man, and he had been overheard by Happy to refer to her as "Stark's old maid".

Happy had told her this after six drinks.

She was now, however, going to kill the Director of SHIELD.

"You have," she said, in her most reasonable voice. "my testimony. You have the testimony of Captain America. What more do you need?"

"try Stark's, and a minor Micrale." Nick Fury had drawn himself up to his full height. "Why does everyhting think this is my fault? Do you think I'm happy that some son of a bitch is going to get away with this, is probably going to kepe getting away with this, 'cos we can't stop him iwht out making things worse for the victim? No! It bloody makes me sick and if I had Stone here, I'd shoot him like the dog he is!" the last word echoed around the empty office.

"But that ain't an option. Any more than it was for you when you first found out."

A small part of Pepper's brain wondered how one eye boring into could be worse than two.

"Unless we do somethin ot even the odds."

Without thinking, Pepper turned on her heels and headed out of the office.

Sentator Gordon may not be as depenedent on her as Tony had been, but he still knew better than to argue with her when she was on the war path.

* * *

"I did try to leave him."

Tony had fallen slient, as the shadows fell across the room. Samson had in fact being on the point of calling the session to an end when Tony's voice softly cut across the room.

"Once."

There was a pause, before Tony asked. "do you know what agriphobia is?"

"Normally defined as A fear of the outside, or of being in open spaces." Samson said, keep his tone even, though he wasn't really sure where Tony was going with this. "though more correctly, it's fear of being in a situation where you can't escape."  
Tony laughed, bitterly. "Both fit it." He said. "I got up while he was sleeping, made it as far as the lobby, then I just stood there by the door. I couldn't make myself go out, but I couldn't...I couldn't go back up stairs either." He sighed. "Ty found me early that morning. Didn't say anything. Just put a hand on my shoulder and led me back upstairs." He glanced at Samson, evidently expecting condemation. "I didn't protest."

"But you tried to leave." Samson said. "Millions never do. They just stick around. And Tony, You Ultimately left him."

Tony snorted. "Only because Steve made me."

"So why haven't you gone back?" Samson asked, softly. "No one could stop you, they would worry about you and try to talk you out of it, but ultimately it would your choice." He paused, watching it sink in. "Mark Twain once said that quitting smoking was easy, he'd done it an dozne times. Staying off the ciragrettes is the hard part. Yes, maybe you didn't leave him of your own choice, but you haven't gone back either."

Tony smiled, softly. "Only because Ty hasn't shown up yet."


End file.
